Prologue: Christina and I both grew up in homes that observed meatless Fridays, which lasted until the Second Vatican Council; after which Pope John XXIII, seeking to modernize the Church, enacted several reforms, which included an end to both Latin services and meatless Fridays. However, in deference to Christina’s sense of nostalgia for life before the Vatican Council, … [Read more...] about A View from My Porch: Bumble Bee Economics
A View from my Porch
A View from My Porch: Tatts & Piercings; A Primer for the Curious
In January 2023, Ledge Light Health District (LLHD) will enact regulations for the oversight of the tattoo and piercing establishments and their respective practitioners and operators in the nine communities in LLHD’s SE CT service area. Background: Connecticut had passed legislation requiring some oversight several years ago, but an organized monitoring and inspection … [Read more...] about A View from My Porch: Tatts & Piercings; A Primer for the Curious
A View from My Porch: Brendan and the Pirates — Securing Passage of Crude Oil to The West
I reported a few “Views” ago that my son had landed in Bahrain on an extended mission with the United States (US) Navy. Brendan is attached to the International Maritime Security Construct (IMSC). This is a multinational consortium that was established to provide order and security for trade and shipping in the Arabian Gulf region of the Middle East, with particular focus on … [Read more...] about A View from My Porch: Brendan and the Pirates — Securing Passage of Crude Oil to The West
A View from My Porch: 50 Years — A Retrospective
Editor's Note: We send warmest congratulations to our longtime contributor Tom Gotowka and his wife Christina on their Golden Wedding anniversary. Christina and I celebrated our 50th wedding anniversary this past July 22nd, and that’s gold. In preparation for the event, I spent some time reminiscing about those years, and I am sharing some of my thoughts in this “View,” … [Read more...] about A View from My Porch: 50 Years — A Retrospective
A Special ‘View From My Porch’ in Recognition of Independence Day: CT’s General Israel Putnam was a ‘Man of Legendary Courage’, a Brooklyn ‘Rock Star’
Prelude: The June 9 edition of The Day reported that the team of Tessa Grethel and Sophia D’Amico — both Lyme-Old Lyme Middle School seventh graders — took first place in Connecticut in the junior group exhibit category of the National History Day Contest with their project titled “Bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki: The Origins of Atomic Diplomacy.” Phil Rizzuto would … [Read more...] about A Special ‘View From My Porch’ in Recognition of Independence Day: CT’s General Israel Putnam was a ‘Man of Legendary Courage’, a Brooklyn ‘Rock Star’
A View from My Porch: The Shady History of Connecticut Tobacco — The Finale
It’s been a little while since the publication of Part 1 of The Shady History of Connecticut Tobacco , but during that hiatus, there has been other remarkable news covered in the media. Decisions regarding COVID mitigation were moved to municipal leadership, including school superintendents. Judge Ketanjii Brown Jackson, who was nominated to the Supreme Court by President … [Read more...] about A View from My Porch: The Shady History of Connecticut Tobacco — The Finale
A View from My Porch — The Shady History of Connecticut Tobacco, Part 1: The Age of Discovery to the Jamestown, Virginia Colony
It’s been a while since my last View, which was A Primer on The American Rescue Plan. Since then, I have spent some time thinking about tobacco; and frankly, that’s a subject on which I have rarely, if ever, reflected. Then again, it’s not COVID, or its aftermath; and has nothing to do with the events of Jan. 6, 2021, or their aftermath. To explain, Christina and I saw … [Read more...] about A View from My Porch — The Shady History of Connecticut Tobacco, Part 1: The Age of Discovery to the Jamestown, Virginia Colony